A senior member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is intentionally fueling inner crises throughout the occasion to scale back competitors in 2027.
Okonkwo made the remarks on Wednesday throughout an look on Channels Tv’s Dawn Each day, POLITICS NIGERIA reviews.
He accused the APC of utilizing what he described as “charlatans” to destabilise the ADC at a essential time when opposition events are attempting to type alliances.
“I used to be proven the whole lot—resignations, NWC dissolutions—all carried out for the higher good of Nigeria. But, some charlatans, some clowns, are being utilized by APC as a result of President Tinubu doesn’t need any competitors in 2027. That’s what’s going on,” he stated.
He claimed that current inner choices throughout the ADC, together with resignations and restructuring strikes, have been a part of a broader effort to strengthen the occasion. In accordance with him, these actions are actually being misrepresented by sure people allegedly working with exterior forces.
Okonkwo additionally raised issues over makes an attempt to tug the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) into the dispute. He accused some actors of twisting courtroom processes to create confusion across the occasion’s management.
“A lawyer went to courtroom in search of reduction, and now some are claiming the courtroom has dominated of their favour when it has not. That is the second letter they’re writing to INEC. The primary, on March 16, was handled as a ineffective letter. Now, underneath stress from APC, they’re pushing Joash Amupitan to behave or resign,” he added.
The ADC chieftain maintained that the occasion’s present management construction adopted due course of and had beforehand acquired recognition from INEC after an extended interval of inner negotiations.
“It was Professor Yakubu Mahmood who recognised the ADC management, not Joash Amupitan. If Professor Mahmood, who we all know has a historical past of technical glitches, regarded on the course of we adopted and noticed no irregularities, he went the additional mile to endorse us,” Okonkwo stated, noting that the method adopted 18 months of negotiations.
His feedback come amid a deepening management disaster throughout the ADC. A factional chief, Nafiu Gombe, has threatened authorized motion towards INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan over the fee’s recognition of a rival group reportedly aligned with former Senate President David Mark.
Gombe insists {that a} Court docket of Attraction ruling preserved the established order and recognises him because the reliable chief pending a closing verdict. He warned that failure by INEC to reverse its place might result in contempt proceedings.
Nonetheless, Okonkwo dismissed Gombe’s place outright. He described the claims as unfounded and accused him of performing in unhealthy religion.
In accordance with him, Gombe had earlier stepped other than the occasion in Could 2025 as a part of efforts to reposition the ADC however later returned underneath questionable circumstances.